May 19, 1943 – February 13, 2021 (age 77)
Clarice Faye Whitaker-Olson, a resident of West Moreland in southeast Portland, Oregon died in Portland on Saturday, February 13, 2021, after a short illness.
She was born on May 19, 1943 in Brigham City, Box Elder County, Utah to Mirl William and Ada Belle Bruesch Whitaker, the third of seven children. She grew up on a farm bordering on the Snake River east of Rupert, Idaho, and spent many happy days at her grandparents’ Bruesch ranch west of Almo, Idaho.
She married Arthur Russell Olson on July 3, 1984 at the old Sellwood Church, in Portland, Oregon. Art is the love of her life; they shared travel adventures at home and abroad, and annual campouts with family at the Metolius River Allen Springs Campground near Sisters, Oregon. She loved spending time with her grandchildren. She also loved their dogs—TomTe, Sally, and Kekoa—an important part of their family.
Claire attended elementary and junior high schools in Rupert, Idaho, and graduated from Minico High School in Rupert, Idaho in May 1961. She is a graduate of Utah State University, class of 1965 with a major in Spanish and French, and studied abroad in Madrid, Spain. She taught foreign languages in Portland/Lake Oswego and Issaquah, Washington junior high and high schools for thirty-six years. She retired from teaching in 2002.
In addition to teaching, Claire served many in the community by leading quilting workshops that provided hundreds of quilts to needy children. As a wife and mother, she used her many talents in providing a home of refuge, comfort and love. She was an outstanding seamstress, and knitted beautiful sweaters. Additionally, she enjoyed traveling (Morocco, Europe, Sweden, South America), reading, and in her later years, she spent time doing family history.
Claire loved people. An ongoing tradition was Monday afternoon lunches with a group of neighborhood friends. One pastime she loved throughout her life was that of gathering up with her sisters, and brothers, to beach comb and enjoy the coast of Oregon—and places beyond—together.
She is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and held leadership positions in the Relief Society of the Moreland Ward in Portland, Oregon.
She is survived by her husband, Arthur Olson; a son, Erik Olson, his wife Beth, and their four children: Sofija, Anna, Emma, and Leif; Pele and Gunilla Sandberg, Orebro, Sweden, and their children: Ulrica, Juhon, and Magnus; a brother, Morris D. Whitaker, Brigham City, Utah; three sisters: Mrs. Max (Deanna) Cole, Almo, Idaho; Mrs. Roger (Joyce) Stroud, Herriman, Utah; and Mrs. Ronald (Marina) Whitaker, Las Vegas, Nevada; and thirty-seven nieces and nephews.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Mirl and Ada Whitaker; two brothers, Ronald and Barry Whitaker; one sister, Lola Olson; and two nephews, Steven Whitaker and Clint Cole.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00am Saturday, February 27, 2021 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints chapel in Almo, Idaho, with Bishop Douglas Ward officiating.
She will be buried in a family plot in the Sunny Cedar Rest Cemetery in Almo, Idaho.
A live webcast of the Funeral Service will be available by clicking here.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Humanitarian fund.
For those attending the viewing and funeral service, face masks will be required and social distancing will be practiced to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
Condolences and memories may be shared with the family at Rasmussen Funeral Home.